Don't Wait Up
by Azure dream
Summary: When our favorite alien becomes too much to handle, the Tower is thrown into chaos. Why is Star lashing out? Where'd she go? And how does this have anything to do with Blackfire? R and R, RobxStar, BlackfirexStar sisterhood
1. Don't wait up

"You just don't get it, Star! If I don't find him now-" Robin's yell was cut short as the Tameranian snapped back.

"Then he will appear on his own! If you do not find him right this instant, he will not disappear into nothingness! You are always so worried about protecting the city but who will protect the city if you fall apart?" Starfire had never shouted out of anything but pure joy in the Tower before, and the sound of her voice was followed only by silence. Her eyes had flashed in her anger to the point where she was forced to turn away. Her long ruby hair flew behind her as she spun and made her way out of the main room.

"Where are you going?" Cyborg inquired, softly. Starfire replied, in a tone they had never heard before,

"Out. I am going out. Do not 'wait up'." As she padded out of the Tower, the Titans sat, awestruck. Raven's book had fallen out of her grasp and her eyes had widened slightly. Beast Boy sat on the couch, his Gamestation controller forgotten on the floor, mouth and eyes wide open in shock. Cyborg seemed to be taking it the best, and he muttered as she left, "Be careful."

Robin stood in the middle of the room, where he had been yelling at her only a moment before, eyes wide, mouth slightly agape. As the Titans attempted to collect themselves, only the soft words of Beast Boy were heard.

"Well…didn't see that coming…"

* * *

Raven frowned as she opened her eyes.

"I can't find her anywhere. Maybe she picked up the trick while we meditated, or it might be how angry she was, but she's cloaking herself. I have no clue where she is." The other Titans shook their heads in disbelief as Cyborg attempted one last time to find her with a tracker. Starfire had taken her communicator but it was shut off-and the surge of energy that came with her anger had shorted out the tracking device. She was now, officially, a needle in one giant freakin' haystack.

"I can't believe she exploded like that. And she didn't even bother to fly away…" Beast Boy was confused, but Raven waved her hand as if to push the possibility away with one swipe.

"Starfire has to channel the joy of flight to fly, and she was just too pissed to do it. It doesn't narrow the search area though; there's no telling how far she got on foot." Cyborg nodded as he shut the tracker into his arm again.

"She'll be in Jump City, but it's a big area, and Tameranians run hella' fast. To tell the truth, with the mood she's in, I'm more afraid for any mugger out there than for her." The three silently nodded as Robin stood, finally. He had been quiet the whole time, as if in a daze. When he turned and headed to the elevator without a sound the others stood silently. Beast boy spoke first.

"What, are you gonna bail on us, too?" The Boy Wonder didn't turn to face his friends as he replied.

"I'm not coming back without her." And with that he stepped into the elevator, pressed the button to the garage, leaving the three to hear his R-Cycle roar off into the distance.


	2. So what's up?

Disclaimer: No,I don't own anything but the plot, and the cookies I'm eating D

"spoken" "_spoken and emphasized_" _thought_ _Thought and emphasized_

* * *

Robin held back the stream of curses in his mind as he rode toward the city park. He had done a quick search of the area around it, but he knew that Starfire was particularly attached to one hill in the park where birds would gather.

_I can't believe she yelled like that. I should've known, even Star can only take so much…_

Robin frowned, angry with himself. He had seen Starfire angry before, but it had always been over something big-very big, like when her sister attempted to steal her place with the Titans, or when Warp had tried to change history so the Titans would fall apart. (A/N I always thought she was pretty pissed in that episode-she nearly killed Warp when she shoved him into the time portal o.O) Either way, to see her yell was a bad sign and the other four Titans knew it.

As he entered the park, Robin jumped off of the R-cycle with just enough time to hear the hum of another engine, not far away; and an unfamiliar, cold voice.

"It's up to you, _Princess_. And please don't swear-" as Robin crept up, he saw a large, purple-tinged hand cup Starfire's chin as her eyes glowed bright, bright green,

"-it just doesn't suit you." The hum of the engine rose to a roar as the figure walked away. With a quick glance from behind a tree, Robin could see that the guy was tall, but not overly muscular, with long, light hair that shone metallic cerulean. What he couldn't see was why Starfire was standing there, concern, anger and fear running across her face. What was going on?

"I know you are there, Robin. Do you wish to talk?" Her voice was returning to normal, but Robin heard the faintest tremble behind it as Starfire blinked her eyes back to their typical color. He exited from cover with a frown.

"Star, what's going on?" Starfire turned and held up a quarter sized diskette communication device used in the Vega star system, native to Tamaranians and who knew how many other species.

"I do not know. But we may 'figure it out' if I may watch the message." Sliding the disk into her boot, Starfire took a deep breath and stared up into Robin's mask. He had grown in the time she had known him, so that he was now about 2 inches taller than her.

"Robin…I am sorry for my outburst earlier. I was not angry with you-not that angry, really, it is just that I am worried." Robin opened his mouth to speak but was silenced by a finger against his lips. "And my fears might be confirmed before this night ends, so I want to say that I am sorry, Robin, I am sorry." Her head had fallen so that her bangs covered her eyes but Robin knew that she was crying; he tilted her chin with two fingers and brushed the tears away with his thumb. Leaning in so that their foreheads touched, he gave a reassuring grin.

"You don't have to worry, Star. We can take anything that comes."

As they rode away, both teens wondered, silently, who Robin had meant by that statement.

* * *

At the Tower, Cyborg dealt Starfire a bone-crushing hug (which was gladly returned) before setting up the Vegan message system on screen. Starfire spent the waiting period with Raven, explaining that certain bonds, when threatened, could cause emotional changes in Tamaranians. Before she could get to what might have occurred, the system was online. Calmly, Starfire took the disk out of her boot and slid it into the machine. Immediately, the screen was filled with the head and shoulders of the man Robin had seen.

His skin had a violet-blue glow that was emphasized by his metallic blue hair. His eyes were so dark blue that they were almost black, and his voice, confident to the point of arrogance, rang out clearly.

"Princess Koriand'r of Tamaran, I'm sure it has been a pleasure to meet you face-to-face, if a little…_tense_." He smirked at this and shook his head so that his hair flew backwards. It struck Raven at the time that the bastard was _flirting_-and no matter how handsome he was, something about him made her sick.

"But I couldn't say the same for you…because the last bond is being pulled, and I bet even now your veins feel as if they are filled with fire. Are you _upset_, princess? I hope so, because you have given me a lot of trouble." The man on screen tutted and wagged his finger as if at a bad puppy. Behind the couch, Starfire stood, her hands shaking, and despite herself, a low growl escaped her, the growl that is heard when a wolf prepares to lunge for a man's throat, snarling. The four were staring at her, but were cut off as the man spoke.

"But that's alright. I have something worth the trouble." And on the screen, Blackfire, her hands and feet bound together with manacles that could absorb her power, struggled and cursed in languages that only the aliens could understand. The man's laughter was heard in the backround as he stood at the girl's side.

"I have half the puzzle, Princess. So you can come and claim the last blood kin you have, or we can fight on your turf; and if we do-" he paused and grinned in the haughtiest way imaginable, "-I guarantee that your precious Earthwill be destroyed. It's up to you, Cookie." Taking a hand to his lips, the man blew a kiss and smiled.

"Trionne out!" The screen went black and the silence was broken only by a strange buzzing sound. Turning to see it, Cyborg noted that Starfire had never created starbolts as large as they were now, her entire body encased in a green glow that extended several inches in every direction. Raven stood immediately and focused all of her energy on calming Starfire, placing her hands on the sides of the Tamaranian's head, maintaining eye-to-eye contact. Beast boy was sitting with his head tilted to the side, solemnly thinking out the situation. Robin was seething at the screen, still wondering how such an audacious being came to be…

_And who the hell calls her 'Cookie'?_


	3. A little explanation

As Raven let her hands fall to her sides she walked Starfire to stand in front of the couch. All of the boys were sitting there in different stages of confusion; Robin had frustration covered, while Beast Boy was questioning, and Cyborg was merely accepting that he knew nothing but what Starfire could tell him. Raven sat down next to them, leaving Starfire standing somewhat awkwardly in front of the group. It registered in her mind that this was going to be an interrogation, so she placed her hands behind her and leaned against the wall, becoming comfortable. It was a signal to Raven, and she took it.

"So Star, what is the 'last bond'? And what does it have to do with blood kin?" She leaned back, attempting to seem nonchalant, but she was genuinely intrigued. The situation was stirring some of the dormant anger in her friend, and every sensor in Raven's mind was on alert. When Starfire took a deep breath as if to steady herself, some dormant part of Raven bounced with glee; things were going to get interesting!

"Tamaranians have an unusually strong bond to their friends and family. It allows us to feel, to a limited extent, when those we care for are in danger…it is a weak form of your power, Raven, and it works well because we are an emotional people." Starfire fidgeted for a moment before proceeding.

"Blood ties are stronger than any other. When a Tamaranian loses their family, they may go…mad because the bonds have been broken. My parents…are dead. Blackfire is my last blood kin, so our bonds are even stronger." Her voice was trembling. Cyborg and Beast boy made to stand as if to hug her, but she waved them off, hoping to finish. Her eyes locked with Raven's, noting that her empath friend was buzzing with imprisoned emotion; and then with Robin, who seemed concerned. She had mentioned, only once that she was an orphan-the topic had never again been spoken of.

"When the last bond is threatened or 'pulled', the threat causes a reaction of anger, and fear, and…" As she struggled to find the words, Raven finished the sentence.

"Powers going out of whack, just like mine." Starfire nodded before continuing.

"Trionne did not need to give me coordinates because I can sense where Blackfire is. And he did not need to threaten me because he knows I will find them." At this, the Titans jumped. Her voice had changed again; it held a determination, a force that they had not seen since her challenge for the Crown of Tamaran. She was startled to see Cyborg smile as he leaned forward.

"Because no matter what, she is your sister." Starfire nodded, appreciating Cyborg's analysis. She turned as Beast Boy piped up.

"So what IS Trionne, anyway? I've never heard of an alien like him." The other Titans turned to Beast boy, wondering where the surge of brainpower was coming from, but Robin recovered in time to ask a follow-up question.

"And how does he know you both anyway?" The others nodded, eager for some more answers. Starfire leaned back and sighed.

"Trionne is of the Helos, a people that have been warring against Tamaran for many years. He is a Prince-he was meant to marry my sister as a peace treaty between our worlds. But Blackfire and I found out the night before her wedding that the treaty was a lie, a way for the Helos to spy on us, find out our weaknesses. The wedding was cancelled, but in the ensuing battle our parents were killed. Blackfire and I were sent in opposite directions, as the council hoped that one of us at least could survive to rule Tamaran when we came of age. That was what drove us apart…" Starfire was looking down at the floor as she spoke, and shook her head sadly at the admittance of her past.

"But I do not know what he means by 'the puzzle'. He will tell me when I arrive." Starfire looked up, her eyes glowing. Her tears were drying from the heat of her glare, but she was snapped back to reality by Robin's question.

"What do you mean, when you arrive? We are going with you. You heard him-he wants you to show up. There's no telling what you'll find when you get there." Robin had stood, and now the other three were up as well.

"It may not be blood, Starfire, but we are family too. We can't just let you fly into this alone." Raven's words ended the argument as Starfire looked over to her and they agreed, silently. Starfire frowned in concentration.

"They are too far for us to drive without sleep. Friends, you must rest for the journey." As the other three left, they each murmured a good night, leaving Robin and Starfire alone as Starfire took out another disk.

"Shouldn't you get some rest? It's all you tomorrow, Star." Starfire put the disk in the device and turned to Robin.

"I will rest, but first, I must reply." Robin stepped out of sight of the camera as Starfire pressed the button to record.

"Trionne, you have always stressed my status in conversation, and it is right to do so. As Princess and Heir to the Throne of Tamaran, I accept your Challenge in full. I expect you to be ready for battle tomorrow." As Robin looked over, he saw that Starfire had a grin to match even that of the arrogant Prince, as she continued her transmission.

"And as a Titan of Earth, I expect you to have my sister awaiting my arrival, as she will be leaving with me." With this, her eyes began to glow, and she ended the transmission with a blown kiss.

"Starfire out."


	4. And a touch of fluff

Just a touch of RobinxStarfire fluffiness XD! The plot will come back with the next chapter, which will be updated VERY SOON, I promise. scout's honor!

Anyway, this has a little reference to my other fic, Her Choice, which is also very much RobxStar. Go check it out!

* * *

Robin sighed as he rolled over on his bed. It didn't make sense, the way his thoughts were reeling.

_Who the hell does he think he is, treating her that way? I should've knocked him out when I had the chance…_

His thoughts traveled to the image of Trionne's hand cupping Starfire's chin, his haughty voice disciplining her for cussing; and then to the looks he gave her in the video transmission, playfully threatening her. It made Robin sick in the worst way; the burning feeling that started in his stomach ran all the way through him. He was angry; very angry, and only the fact that Starfire had _growled_ at the man made him smile.

"I need some fresh air," he groaned, rolling out of his bed onto the floor. It wasn't a graceful move, but Robin was in his pajamas, and that made him normal for a while. (Except the mask. The mask is always on…) He opened his door and listened for the whoosh sound it made; satisfied, he walked through, his eyes closed in a groggy state of contentment. He stopped, subconsciously, in front of Starfire's door, and was not surprised to hear no sound-she was probably having trouble as well, and as Robin walked towards the stairs to the roof, he knew exactly where she was.

He smiled when he opened the door to find her sitting there, on the edge, her hair blowing back as she hugged her knees to her chest. She was in pajamas as well, purple pj's that seemed to drown her in fabric. Walking to stand beside her, he looked up in the direction she was looking, suddenly awake.

"You don't mind, do you?" She nodded no and continued to stare upwards, her eyes bright and questioning. Sitting beside her, his legs out in front, Robin sighed.

"You're really worried about her, aren't you…" It wasn't a question, but the answer left Robin surprised, as Starfire leaned over and lay her head on his shoulder. Putting his arm around her, he pulled her in close, and she held on to him as if for life.

"I have not seen Trionne in many years. I do not know how strong he has become, and it…bothers me that he was able to disable my sister." Her confidence was shaken, despite everything she showed on the outside, and Robin stroked her hair as he looked up to the moon, a crescent of light in the darkness.

"But you've defeated your sister before, Kori, and no matter what, we can handle this together, alright?" Starfire looked up at Robin with a small, sincere smile. Her head was against his chest now, and he was sure she could feel his heart beating out of his chest. Fighting his impulses, he lifted her to her feet and took her hand, leading her down the stairs and to her bedroom door.

Standing in front of the door, he noticed that Starfire's head had begun to droop, and pulled her in for one last hug before bed. As she fell against him, wrapping her arms loosely around his waist, he lay his head on top of her own.

_She's…my best friend, the Princess. She's meant to live in some huge castle, surrounded by everything she ever wanted, surrounded by all of the people who love her...and yet she gave up all of that for me-no, for us, her friends, for Earth. _

He felt her turn with a contented sigh and pull back slightly to look at his face. They were less than an inch apart, her breath falling against his lips, his nose rubbing against hers.

_But maybe, just for this moment…_

He slowly closed the gap, pressing his lips against hers softly, fighting back the urge to push her against the wall, to deepen the kiss.

…_She's mine, mine alone…_

Starfire pressed back, gently, and it took everything Robin had to pull back, just enough to whisper in her ear,

"Go to bed, Kori…" before pressing his lips to hers for one moment more, enjoying the taste as he ran his tongue over them in one quick swipe. Reaching behind her, he pushed the button to open her bedroom door, and lifted her gently, laying her on the bed. He stayed until her eyes drifted shut, a smile playing on her face.

Robin didn't remember walking back to his room, or shifting the covers, or lying in his bed. As he reached to turn off the light, his hand drifted to his lips, and he didn't have any trouble sleeping with his final thought.

_And we can take on anything._


	5. No need for blood

Starfire let her hand drift to her lips as she awoke with the dawn. It was early-ungodly so-and the haze of early morning affected even her. Sitting up, her hand still pressed to her lips, Starfire got out of bed, the whole time attempting to sort fact from fantasy.

_It could not have been real. Did he…?_

There was no way to be sure, so Starfire brushed her teeth and hair, washed her face and changed in time to watch the sunrise.

While she was enjoying another beautiful morning on Earth, Cyborg awoke (at the a-little-later-but-still-insane hour of 6 sharp) and prepared to cook breakfast before the journey. He could not navigate-he had no idea where the place was-but he would still help fly, dodging meteors and whatnot, and if he didn't cook breakfast, Beast boy would attempt to feed them all tofu, and THAT was unacceptable.

While Cyborg prepared breakfast, Beast Boy caught a whiff of the scent of meat and panicked. Rushing to get cleaned up and changed, he ran to the kitchen to save himself from eating anything he had once been…

As Beast Boy defended his vegetarian morals, Raven sat in her meditation position, already wide awake and ready to make tea. She also chuckled, if only slightly, at the boy's predicament. He had explained to her once why he was so adamantly vegetarian, and her teasing had ended. It was easy to sympathize with, and after hearing his reasons, she actually felt a tinge of guilt…sighing to herself, she pushed those emotions aside and prepared for the day ahead. After all, today was a rescue mission, right?

Whilst Raven donned battle gear and the like, Robin sat in his room, _trying_ to prepare, filling his utility belt and every hidden pocket in his costume with gadgets. But try as he might, he could not hold back his thoughts of what he had done the night before-he had kissed Starfire. And to top it off, she had kissed back. It was a battle in his mind.

_You are so dumb. She was half-asleep! There's no telling what went through her head._

_Shut up! She kissed back, and that is what's important. Besides, I'll know in a moment, right?_

_Yeah, cause if she hits you, you screwed up._

Robin sighed and made his way to the kitchen, or attempted to, because as he opened the door, he slammed right into the Princess herself.

"Oh! Robin, I am sorry, I did not mean to be so reckless!" Starfire apologized as quickly as possible while she picked herself up off of the floor. Robin stood and brushed himself off with a grin.

"It's nothing Star. You really don't have to apologize," he said, smiling. Starfire smiled back, her eyes sparkling, and they both stood there for a moment, taking in the sight of the other. Finally, Beast boy's voice rang out through the house.

"YO, BREAKFAST IS GETTIN' COLD, PEOPLE!" Holding back a laugh, Starfire took Robin by the hand and began to lead him to the kitchen when he pulled her back, quickly. They were nose-to-nose again, but before he could make a move, Starfire's lips were pressed against his. Letting his hand slide to her lower back, he pulled her in to him and felt himself fall against his door. They held that position for what seemed an eternity before Starfire pulled back.

"It was not a dream, Robin?" Robin only laughed as he pressed his lips against hers one last time.

"No, Star. It's real."

* * *

After a hearty breakfast, the Titans assembled in the garage, ready for flight. Taking her seat in the T-ship, Raven opened her mind and prodded Starfire's, creating a telepathic phone-line. The area was darker than before-during the meal, Starfire had felt the bond being pulled, and any sense of light-heartedness in her was gone immediately. In Starfire's mind, Raven could feel every sense heightened, every emotion given free reign. Whatever control the Tamaranian had was being strained to capacity. Sensing the intrusion, a mental figure of Starfire appeared in the darkness.

She was wearing the battle uniform of the girl, but instead of purple with green jewels, she wore white with clear jewels that fractured all light. She was the equivalent of Raven's mental representative-all of the emotions as one, the most stable form of the being. Her voice rang out, clear as crystal, lacking the abundant joy from the outward appearance of Starfire. She was cool and collected-the sight made Raven smile at the thought.

"How are you, friend-Raven?" Two seats facing each other appeared to accommodate the girls and they both sat, politely.

"I'm fine, Starfire. I came to make sure you were…alright. You've had to exert a lot of control lately." The girl in white smiled, the small turning of her mouth a replica of Raven's own.

"The meditation helps, Raven. It helps a lot. But if you would stay with me…" the white outfit became a pale pink for a moment, as the timid side ofStarfire appeared for a flash, and then it was gone.

"I need all the help I can get, or at least until we reach our destination." Raven understood immediately-Starfire's bond became stronger with every mile they flew, and so Raven levitated in the midst of Starfire's mind, assuming the position for meditation.

"You don't need blood to be sisters, Star." The girl in white broke out into a signature smile that encompassed her face, and levitated into position. The two floated that way, together, at peace in Starfire's mind, even as Starfire let her hands grip the controls of the T-ship.

And suddenly, the flight didn't seem so long.


	6. Darkness

I am not very good with battles, but this chapter is my favorite so far anyway. A warning to readers, it gets a little...Dark from here on, so be careful : )

* * *

In Starfire's mind, she let out a gasp and fell out of meditative position. As she hit the floor, her outfit became red with blood red jewels, her voice with a harsh, vengefulecho behind it.

"We've arrived." She hissed, and Raven was thrust out of Starfire's mind with such force that she moaned upon waking.

"Raven, are you-" Raven waved Beast boy's question away as she yelled out.

"Starfire, you need to calm down!" But it was too late. The ship was pulled into a sharp dive of a landing onto the bay of another, massive ship.

The sharp gasps of the four Titans were muffled by a snarl from Starfire as she spotted her prey. The massive silver ship had a clear domed docking bay where Trionne stood, holding an unconscious Blackfire in his arms. He pressed a button and the dome opened on one side so that the T-ship could land, and as it skidded to a halt, his voice called out into the bay.

"Cookie! I've been waiting here _forever!_ And I brought Big Sis, just like you said…" As the Titans climbed out of the ship, Starfire's voice called back, echoing asharshly as it had done in her mind.

"Do not act as if it were a favor!" her yell startled the Titans, and they all looked up, surprised, but her next statement sent a chill throughout the room, because it was quietas death and as cold as ice..."_I will make you pay for taking her._" The buzzing noise was heard as her energy surrounded her, tinged with streaks of red in green. It dawned on Raven suddenly-

"Starfire, DON'T!" As Starfire lunged at the Helos, black energy encased her, pulling her back. Raven managed to hold her a few yards from the Prince, but every time Starfire's fists hit the black wall, it weakened a little.

"THAT'S WHAT HE WANTED! YOU WEREN'T THE KEY, YOU WERE THE PRIZE! HE WANTS YOU TO BE ANGRY BECAUSE HE WANTS YOUR POWER!" It was taking every ounce of her strength to hold Starfire back, and she was getting more powerful with every passing moment. The male Titans needed just that much time to consider it before reaching the thought that had hit Raven.

"If Star is this powerful when angry..." Beast boy realized, and Cyborg finished his thought.

"...he could harness that energy and destroy everything!" And Robin stared over at the Prince, and who he held in his arms.

"So we just need to save Blackfire! Beast Boy, help Raven! Cyborg, we're taking on the throne!" Rushing at the Prince, Robin yelled one last time as he jumped.

"Titans, GO!"

* * *

The Prince dropped Blackfire to the floor as he called out his Royal Guard to take on the intruders. Robin leapt and kicked him in the face, but the Prince grabbed his foot and swung him by it, throwing him into the domed wall…

XxXxX

Cyborg released his sonic cannon, knocking out several guards as he ran towards them. They just seemed to keep coming, every one running at least as fast as him but twice as large…

XxXxX

Beast Boy turned into his beast form, throwing himself at anyone who got too close to Raven, but with every swipe, he had to fight harder to keep control…

XxXxX

Raven sat, hovering, forcing herself into Starfire's mind. When she finally reached the girl, the place was chaos, blood red everywhere, with Starfire in the center...

XxXxX

Her outfit was as bloody red as everything else, and in her hands, she held Blackfire bridal style, growling at anyone who dared get too close. Raven was thrust out immediately-she fell to the floor with a thud and struggled to keep Starfire at bay.

"Star…what _happened_ to you…?

* * *

**A/N Oh no, Cliffy! Sorry guys, but I need a few Reviews before I keep going. I've had tons of fun writing this, though...and the battle will not end soon evil grin**

**Exhile87 - thanks,I really wanted a cute bad guy for this one...he's only gonna get worse (and prettier) in the next chapters, so stay tuned!**

**clueless90 - I'm glad ya love it! I wonder, do you like BBxrae? I had the BEST IDEA for a oneshot with them in this, so I might write that too...**

**moonfire01 - thanks, I'll keep writing for reviews...they're my bread 'n' butterXD**

STAY TUNED! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!


	7. An Awakening

Raven watched as the boys fought off the guards, and saw Blackfire's limp body against the ground. Using what little energy she had to spare, Raven prodded the girl's mind with her own and entered, slowly.

Normally she would be more wary but with all of the gore that had appeared in Starfire's mind, there wasn't much time to spare. Blackfire's mind was a forest-a forest full of dark trees with large red leaves, and the light that fell was tainted crimson. Something seemed off-as if the place Raven resided in was a mere shadow of what it had once been. As Raven raced towards the sound of breath in the distance, she soon found her fear confirmed.

A tall glass tube stood in between two of the trees, and banging against the glass with her fists was Blackfire, raging with a purple glow emanating several inches off of her person. The red glow was permeating her energy as well, purple and red flowing through each other; Starfire was in real danger, but she was trapped, too weak to help…listening to her wail, Raven finally clasped her hands over her ears as she swung her leg back and kicked the glass tube with all of her might. It fell over with a crash, and Blackfire's mind warped, the leaves turning to a deep imperial amethyst, the light that flowed around the two girls changing to a more mellow purple. Raven backed away, exiting to black out, but not before whispering to the older girl,

"_Wake up_. Your sister needs you…"

XxXxX

Beast boy heard a groan from behind him and saw Raven falling out of her meditative position, all of her black energy dissipating. She was utterly exhausted, and the only thought that came to his still feral mind as he caught her was that she would be safe…

XxXxX

Cyborg heard a primal scream from behind him and turned to see Starfire newly freed from Raven's restraint. She shot a red-and-green starbolt past him that collided throwing three guards back into the wall at the same time, their necks snapped, blood leaking from their foreheads, mouths and eyes. He turned to take on the rest as her eyes fell on the Prince…

XxXxX

Robin lunged at the purple-skinned tyrant, kicking him square in the jaw and rebounding to crouch, his knees bent. The Prince threw himself at the Boy Wonder, only to be knocked back by a very angry Tamaranian. Starfire held him by the neck and pinned him to the dome wall, squeezing the life out of him. Taking one finger and igniting starbolt energy on the tip, she seared his skin, letting the blood fall…

XxXxX

Blackfire looked up in time to see her sister tackle the Prince, his dark blue blood staining the floor. The energy emanating off of her was immense; it simmered only slightly as Blackfire screamed.

"Starfire! STARFIRE, NO!" Rising up into the air, Blackfire took one look at Robin's stunned face before grabbing her sister by her hair and throwing her to the ground. She heard Robin's bird-a-rangs pin the Prince to the wall before her could move-the other Titans (including a normal Beastboy and unconscious Raven) surrounded the two sisters as Blackfire kneeled beside Starfire…

XxXxX

Beast boy noticed how gently Blackfire cradled her sister's head, laying her bloodstained hands to the side, coaxing the red glow out. He had never thought her capable of such care; she was rocking her sister back and forth like a baby. When Starfire was calm enough to speak normally, her anger only showing with a bright green glow at her eyes, the two sisters stood, pushing the other Titans away. Blackfire broke the Prince's restraints with her starbolts, standing at her sister's side.

"It's time to finish this."


	8. First Battle

"It's time to finish this."

Starfire stepped forward, her hands glowing, her anger contained to a slight tremble in her voice.

"Why did you do this? What could you gain from my outrage?" Something in the puzzle felt as if it were missing-the Prince chuckled, darkly, brushing his blue hair back with a grin. He took a finger and dipped it in his own blood, wincing slightly.

"I wanted to see how strong the Royal Blood of Tamaran was. I have to admit, Koriand'r, I was _impressed._ Who would have thought the gentle Princess could be a killer?" Starfire shook her head, frowning slightly. She had not killed anyone-she had wanted to, but…

"Or perhaps you do not remember. My guards-the ones over there-" he pointed to the three Starfire had thrown back, leaning against the wall, now covered in their own dark blood. "-are very much disposed of. How did you _feel,_ Cookie? Tell me, how does freedom feel?" Running the bloody finger over his tongue, the Helos smiled, every one of his teeth gleaming with the blue stain. Blackfire stepped forward, eyes glowing. Her starbolt banged the Prince against the wall, hitting him dead square in the center of where Starfire had wounded him.

"You pathetic bastard, you have no idea what you've toyed with." Giving her signature smug smile, Blackfire blasted him again. "Now that Star has truly drawn blood of the enemy, she'll be stronger than ever." Another blast rang through the dome, and the blood of the Prince spattered. Blackfire took Starfire by the hand and turned to the Titans.

"Go back to your ship. We'll catch up in a moment." The looks she received were questioning, but Starfire nodded, and Robin led the team away.

"Don't take long," Robin said, slowly, taking it all in. The blood was awkward to him in more ways than one, but the most chilling as who had spilled it…

Blackfire knelt and ran her finger and one of Starfire's fingers through the blood of the Helos Prince. She ran her finger on the right cheek of her younger sister and the blood sank in, leaving an invisible mark of first blood battle. Stafire marked further under her sister's eye with her own finger, taking care not to muss any of the other battle marks on her sister's face. They walked over to the guards and marked Starfire with blood from them as well, so that now both of her cheeks had a slash of blood under the eyes. The blood would fade into her skin and the battle marks would only appear when Starfire wanted them to, but as Starfire heard one of the guard's groan, she smiled.

The Prince would be found soon, and it was time to go.


	9. Questions and answers

okay, so this chapter isn't as good as the others, but it was necessary. the next should be hella fun to write, and it should also be up VERY SOON, in like a day or two. It's just a bit of explanation. Speaking of which, a few of you guys asked questions, and here are my answers-

**april4rmH-town-** sometimes I update 2-3 chapters at a time and it's too fast for the server. If it happens again, just wait a few days until it all catches up.

**TheNextTitan- **the team doesn't like Blackfire, but she IS Starfire's sister and they're doing it for her. Besides, they all realize that blackfire knows more about her sister's problem than they do, so she might be an asset about now.

**And that brings me to the disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot itself! Why must you remind me...**

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At the Tower, things were quiet-everyone was exhausted from the trip, but as the sun set, they were still curious enough to sit in the living room and ask questions to the two aliens sitting in front of the TV, ready to answer.

"So Blackfire, what was this about? Why didn't the Prince kidnap Starfire and wait for you instead of the other way around?" Starfire nodded as Blackfire swept her hair back, with a small laugh.

"On Tamaran, you may have realized that all of the nobles look more or less like Star. I was the exception-it's extremely rare for a Tamaranian to be born looking like me. A lot of people shunned me for it; saying I must have been some sort of evil being." She shrugged as she continued, "So I didn't participate in all of the silly rituals that Starfire did. I can feel when she is hurt or in danger, but my reaction isn't as strong-eventually I would have woken up, but by the time I did, Starfire might have killed everyone in the room." Blackfire turned to her sister with a snort. "And you wonder why I never offered the blood ties…" Starfire hung her head, looking up only as Raven asked the next question.

"So why is your bond so strong, Starfire? I went into your mind when you were affected-you had forgotten who you were. That isn't healthy, not even by Tamaranian standards…" Starfire turned her head away, not wanting to look at her friends as she answered. She could swear she felt Robin's eyes boring holes into her skull.

"Because Blackfire refused one of our rituals, I was subjected to it earlier than most. It is…a most painful practice where the excess energy and anger are stored in a hidden part of the being. It was outlawed the same night that I was bonded." Starfire refused to say more, but Blackfire saw the questions in eyes all round. Pulling her sister's hair a bit, she replied in the most casual tone she could manage.

"Normally the last bond would just be a sense of when your family is being attacked. Starfire's reaction is different because she was forced into the ritual when she was two years too young, just after our parents were killed. She wasn't in the best state, either; she was angry, and when the priests tried to start the ritual on me, she nearly killed them. She saw that I was being hurt and attacked. The Priests had gone too far-the ritual was a failure, and I outlawed it myself. We left the planet in the care of our advisors, and left in different directions. If we stayed together, there was no telling what would have happened." Blackfire had been looking at her sister for the last sentences, but turned to see her friends' stares. It was then that she realized she was playing with Starfire's hair as she spoke, like she had when they were children…because all of the sudden, it was the same.

"You nearly died, Starfire, to save me, after all we've been through…" Blackfire sighed as Starfire's eyes grew wide.

"How could I not? No matter what, you will always be my sister..." But Blackfire waved the comment away with a small laugh.

"Don't get all mushy on me, sis. We still have to figure out how to break the bond. I don't know…I don't know how to break walls like that." Blackfire frowned. She was in her sister's debt and there was nothing she could do to get out from under it. Hoping for some inspiration, she turned to Raven. Surely the creepy one could figure it out?

"I heard that, Blackfire, and yes, I do have an idea." Blackfire laughed and pushed across the thought that she liked creepy anyway. A mirror levitated into the room-a small hand mirror that Starfire had brought from her room on Tamaran. Setting it on the floor, she turned to Starfire.

"It's up to you who enters and exits, but the three of us have to go anyway." Starfire nodded and turned to the three boys.

"Well, Beast boy and Cyborg know how to deal with one's mind, so they should come." The two boys whooped as they stepped up, ready for an adventure.

"And Robin would come whether you said yes or not, so he ought to go," Blackfire finished, laughing as she stepped into the mirror. Raven, Beast boy and Cyborg followed, leaving the Boy Wonder and princess behind.

"I don't have to go if you don't want me to," Robin said, grabbing Starfire's arm and pulling her up by it. Starfire looked down, and Robin could have sworn he saw the faintest blush.

"You know me better than anyone, Robin. I do not think you will be surprised by much there." She froze for a moment, uncomfortable with the statement she felt rising in her throat. "My other self…bothered you." Robin stopped, watching Starfire look down into the mirror, into her own mind.

"I was bothered because it wasn't you, Star. It was like the real you had been shut away-and I didn't know what would happen if you carried on that way." Robin pulled Starfire into a hug as he whispered into her hair. "I was afraid I'd lost you." Starfire laid her head into his chest for a moment before pulling back, reluctantly.

"Neither did I. I do not want to feel that again. Let us go, Robin!" Holding onto his hand, Starfire stepped into the mirror, and they were pulled into her mind.

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Hahahaahahahahahaha! Cliffhanger, people! What does Starfire's mind look like? How much more RobxStar fluff can I pull off in one story? And whydidn't Blackfire actually tell what "The Ritual" was? Give me some reviews, and all will be explained. Til then, love ya! 


	10. Emotional Reunion

Truly sorry for the wait everyone, I hope this chapter is up to par and all that.When I say 'Palace', think Prince of Persia Sands of Time palace. Anyway, thanks for the reviews, keep readin'!

Disclaimer: No, I don't own anything but the storyline. (sobs)

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As they landed on the marble floor, Robin heard a snort from Blackfire.

"So this is what your head looks like. Starfire, you really need to give it a break." Wondering, Robin looked up, ready to see a replica of the pink wonderland Starfire had made of her room, or even a landscape of her 'beautiful' Tamaran, but what he saw took him by surprise.

It was a palace, an old palace of marble and stone with carvings covering every inch of the walls and pillars that surrounded them. There were dragons, Tamaranian monsters, villains they had battled, all being defeated by the people Starfire knew-Raven, Cyborg, Beast boy, some of Blackfire and as Robin turned, he saw himself, battling Slade.

"So this is how your memories are recorded-the whole place is a story, right?" Raven ran a hand along the carving of her battling Malchior far above the rest-the ceiling, which was covered in even more images of battle, seemed to take place of the sky, it was so tall.

"It's the same way that the records of Tamaran are kept in the old palace. We used to hang out there when we were kids," Blackfire answered, running her fingers over the image of her sparring with one of her servants. She was much shorter at the time, as she was merely eight years old, but her powers were strong even then. She was enveloped by a glow in the carving, as Starfire had looked up to her sister. She grinned before turning to the girl.

Starfire was walking ahead, through the halls of memory to a set of large doors that were closed, with the main carving showing a young Starfire learning to control flight. It was a funny sketch-she had levitated but at the same time, crashed into one of the dishes for dinner. Whatever the goop was that covered her, she found it tasty; one of her food-covered fingers was sticking out of her mouth, and she had a goofy smile. Cyborg laughed at the image as they walked through the doors, and Starfire gave him a knowing smile as they walked into the next room.

It was a circular room with doors everywhere, all with different carvings of memories. Each door had a different meaning-one showed Starfire in a state of absolute terror; another had her bouncing for joy, while yet another had her stooped over, crying. But of all the doors, none showed any sign of Starfire's anger-but one had no image of her or her friends, just a seal painted in red…

"So Starfire, how does this work? I mean, Raven's emotions have to be bottled up, so they're all separate. But what about you? What's with all the doors?" Beast boy nodded towards a door that had Starfire floating, surrounded by trees. Raven noted that it looked suspiciously like the forest that housed Blackfire's mind.

"In the mind, all of the parts of a person join together," She explained, turning to look at all of the images. "Starfire must have created a separate habitat for each set of memories. Which one are we entering, anyway?" They turned to look at Starfire, who was staring up at the door with the red seal. Blackfire whistled as she stepped forward to touch it.

"Finally something interesting. That's blood, isn't it?" Starfire flinched as she murmured a quick "yes" and reached for the handle. Turning to face her friends, she frowned.

"These are not pleasant memories, and I do not wish you to see them before the rest. Could we please take a little longer before entering _that_ door?" The other Titans nodded as Blackfire eased away from the door. Instead, she watched as Starfire opened all of the doors in turn-first, one with a carving of her being scolded by her k'norfka. The area was all in a light tinge of pink- a Starfire with a pale pink uniform took baby steps out into the open. This was Timid.

Timid was followed by a dark green Courage, a sunny yellow Curious, a midnight blue Sorrow, fluorescent orange Gross, lavender Sensitive, magenta Happy, and a strange Starfire in a deep, dark violet who was known only as Duty. Courage and Gross ran towards Beast boy; Courage was fascinated by his color while Gross sensed the weird smell that lingered in Beast Boy's room. Curious, Duty and Sorrow all ran over to crowd Cyborg and Raven; Curious poked at Cyborg's parts while he eagerly named and explained them, Duty spoke quietly to Raven about her need to control her emotions, and Sorrow hung on to Duty, nodding as she made each new point. Happy tackled Blackfire while Timid apologized for her behavior-Robin was left alone with Sensitive. She slowly walked closer to him until they were barely an inch apart, and leaned into his shoulder, her breath falling onto his neck. She had her arms around him and pulled him close with a smile, not noticing that he had turned the most interesting shade of red…

Starfire had wandered back into the open, not concerned with what her emotions were doing. What bothered her was that one was missing-when she had opened the door to Anger, she had not come forth. Which meant that she was wandering through another, more dangerous batch of memories…

"Starfire, one is missing." Raven was searching for the missing Starfire, the one who had worn blood red. What she did not expect to find was Starfire's reaction. The room froze as Starfire turned to face Raven, her eyes permeating with red, her voice booming.

"I KNOW where she is. She is trapped in the Ritual Room."

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FINALLY we enter the Ritual Room With the Oddly Sealed Door in the next chappy! Stay Tuned! 


	11. The Ritual Room

"I KNOW where she is. She is trapped in the Ritual Room."

Duty stepped forward, reaching for the doors that had not been opened; the doors with a large, bloody seal on them, and grabbed the handles. As she wrenched them open, she smirked.

"Then go get her." A wave of sound washed over the room, and after a moment it was recognizable as a blood-curdling scream. It continued, followed by a brief pause for breath. In the center of the room sat a stone table where a small girl was strapped down, a sharp glass tube sticking out of her forehead. The tube was glowing with green light that was being siphoned into a glass tube at the ceiling. Several Tamaranians, brown hair falling down their ceremonial garb, were tending to the jar. As Starfire entered, she trembled as the girl took another breath and pierced the air with a scream.

It was her on that table, years ago-a little girl with truly red hair and bottle green eyes, screaming, tears blurring her sight. Her headpiece, a beautiful Tamaranian tiara, was askew, knocked to the side by the glass tube. She was fighting the bonds as hard as she could, but the pain would never end…Starfire turned as she heard footsteps echo behind her. There Robin stood next to Blackfire-behind them Cyborg, Raven and Beast Boy had open mouths. Starfire turned on her heel and opened the door on the other side of the room, refusing to watch any longer.

The next room held a weeping Starfire, this one younger than the one on the table. Her blood was being drawn by a dagger held by yet another Tamaranian; spilling into the stonework that surrounded her. It was the courtyard of the old palace, and a full moon lay overhead; the pillars and waterfalls in the stone glowed with a sad light as the Princess bled. Held back by two guards a few steps away, Blackfire growled, angry to see her sister's pain, but too small to fight.

Starfire brushed the sight aside, but as the Titans and her sister followed, Robin noticed a tear hit the pavement in the memory. He reached forward and grabbed the girl's arm and pulled her to him, wiping away a tear as they stood, eye-to-eye.

"Star, why? Why did they do this-?" The girl sniffled a bit as the others nodded in question. Blackfire cut through the silence with an oddly somber tone.

"That one's next, right?" Starfire nodded and took Robin's hand, leading the group through another door into the Great Hall where she had almost been married…

There stood Blackfire, dressed in full attire of a Princess. Her sister stood beside her, a slight frown on her face. Underneath the Tiara that marked her as Princess, she wore a thin layer of bandages over the spot where the tube had been.

"You call yourselves Priests of Tamaran, but you have stepped beyond your boundaries. That was no Ritual-it was an experiment, and I will have your heads for it!" Waving her hand for the men to executed, she listened to their cries for mercy only once before stunning each with a starbolt. Holding her sister by the hand, she whispered,

"Go. You don't need to see this." And Starfire obeyed, ran around the corner and up the stairs, too hurt and afraid to fly. Taking a deep breath,Starfire led the Titans and Blackfire to the last room.

It was a room of the old palace again, but this one was very different. It had water running down the walls and onto the floor only to swirl down into the drains at the bottom, a tranquil sound that belied the occupants.

One was clearly Anger-her blood red attire and bloody jewels swished as she adjusted herself; she was sitting on a raised part of the floor, just in front of the old Throne. The Throne itself held Starfire-a dark Starfire, with eyes glowing red, her Tamaranian battle outfit was torn and covered in dried blood, her hair was a wild being that lay everywhere, her eyes held a feral glow seen in mad beasts. As she looked down on Starfire and the Titans in turn, she yanked on a chain that attached to a leash around Anger's neck. Anger howled, obviously in pain; and Raven stepped back.

"Starfire," she whispered, so that only the Titans and Blackfire could hear, "She knows what she's doing. As long as she holds on to Anger, you can't unite your emotions. She'll be able to take control whenever she wants." Cyborg shook his head as he turned to speak.

"You act as if she's a separate being. I thought she was just a part of Star locked away." Blackfire shook her head.

"No, it's another person entirely.This wouldn't have happened if the procedure had been executed properly, but that's how it is." The argument was cut short as a rough cackle filled the air; the laugh immediately recognized as that of the dark Star. She had stood in front of the throne and pointed at them.

"You talk about me as if I weren't real! I am the one who has protected you-all of you-for so long,and this little weakling keeps me locked away. Pathetic!" She kicked Anger to the side and strode down the platform to the water, stopping in front of Starfire.

"I kind of like this control, _Koriand'r_. If you want to have it back, you're going to fight me for it." Robin was surprised to see Starfire smile as she blasted open the chains that held Anger at bay; the emotions each took their place in their own domain in the main rooms, and she created a clear wall in her mind to hold her friends back. They could watch, but they could not interfere.


End file.
